Sublimatory transfer dyeing in vented foil packet with release of trapped steam

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION RELATES TO A METHOD FOR THE UNILATERAL OR BILATERAL PRINTING OF SINGLE-LAYER OR MULTLAYER TEXTILE PIECES OR TEXTILE TAPES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHICH ARE MADE WHOLLY OR PARTLY OF SYNTHETIC FIBERS, WHEREBY THE TEXTILE PIECES OR TEXTILE TAPES, WHICH ARE COVERED WITH DYE-LAYERED PRINTING FOILS, ARE INTRODUCED BETWEEN HEATED PRESSURE MEANS, SUCH AS PRESSURE PLATES, CALENDER ROLLS, OR THE LIKE, AND WHERE THE DYE LAYER IS TRANSFERRED TO THE TEXTILE PIECES OR TEXTLE TAPES BY MEANS OF SUBLIMATION DUE TO HEAT AND PRESSING PRESSURE.

1972 H. KANNEGIESSEER. 3,707,345 I SUBLIMATORY TRANSFER UYEING IN VENTbD FOIL PACKET WITH RELEASE OF TRAPPED STREAM Filed Sept. 23, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2

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SUBLIMATORY TRANSFER DYEING .[N VENTLD FOIL PACKET WITH RELEASE OF TRAPPED STREAM Filed Sept. 23, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f {I 4 I9 Fig. 3

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United States Patent Oflice Patented Dec. 26, 1972 3 707 34s SUBLIMATORY TRANsFER DYEING IN VENTED 011. ACKET WITH RELEASE OF TRAPPED TEA Herbert Kannegiesser, Vlotho (Weser), Germany, assiguor to Kannegiesser Maschinenfabrik Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Bremen, Germany Filed Sept. 23, 1970, Ser. No. 74,653

Int. Cl. D06p US. Cl. 8-25 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The sublistatic-thermo pressure method is a comparatively recent method for printing on textiles, especially mesh fabric, made of synthetic fibers. In implementing this printing method, paper or foil on which special dyes have been applied is used. These papers or foils are placed on the mesh fabric which is to be printed. By using heat and pressing pressure, the dye layers are sublimated and are transferred on the mesh fabric.

Description of the prior art It has been found in actual practice that textile fabrics, printed according to this method, reveal, in part, certain shadings and other irregularities in the pattern. This faulty printing leads to increased waste.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is based on the idea of proposing a method for printing textile fabrics using the sublistaticthermo pressure method, making it possible to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages, that is, the irregularity in the printing pattern on the finished goods.

The method according to the invention resides in the fact that the printing process is subdivided into the following directly sequential phases:

A first phase for heating the textile pieces or textile tapes on which the pressure foils have been placed, in such a manner that at least the inherent moisture in the textile pieces or textile tapes will be converted into steam;

A second phase for the evacuation of the steam which is formed during the first phase and which is possibly trapped between the pressure foils;

A third phase for printing the textile pieces or textile courses through the sublimation of the dye layer due to heat and pressing pressure.

The method according to the present invention is based on the realization that the steam, which necessarily develops at the temperatures to be applied, is the reason for the irregularities in the finished printing pattern. This is obviously due to the fact that the steam upsets the regular heat transfer. In the application of the sublistatic-thermo pressure method, temperatures with an accuracy down to a few degrees are required. These temperatures likewise cannot be attained over the entire area of the pressing surface because of the steam. On the other hand, the

method according to this invention enables absolutely flawless printing to be achieved.

According to a second feature of the invention, the sublimation process of the dye-coating operation can be started while the first phase is still continuing, so that steam will alsoescape from the dye coating layer and so that this steam can then also be evacuated during the secondphase. It is preferable to lift the pressing means, especially the press plates or calender roll, ofl of and away from each other during the second phase.

Further details of the method are described below in conjunction with a device for the implementation of this method shown in the drawing. We have the following:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a top view of a double-layer textile piece or pull-over with a shape stencil inserted therein and with pressure foil applied on both sides;

' FIG. 2 shows a cross-section taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a textile piece as illustrated in FIG. 2, but resting on a transportation device and positioned between opened press plates of a printing press;

FIG. 4 shows a textile piece, as illustrated in FIG. 2, but lying between the opened press plates of a printing press.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The so-called print-type unit 19, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, consist of a multilayered textile piece or pullover 10, which is pulled up over a shape stencil pattern 13, and pressure foils 11 and 12 which are placed on both sides on the outside of textile piece 10. If the textile piece 10 is to be printed only on one side, for example, only on the front of the pullover sweater, then only one side is covered with a pressure foil 11 or 12 and the other side is covered with masking paper 17. It is also customary to use old, that is, used pressure foils as screening or masking paper.

The outside dimensions of the pressure foils 11, 12, and of the masking paper 17 are preferably always selected larger than the dimensions of the textile piece 10 which is to be printed. This offers the advantage that any dyestutf residues, which might possibly stick to the press plates 14, 15 of the printing press (FIGS. 3 and 4), as a result of a prior printing operation, will not be transferred to other textile pieces, especially those which are to be only partly printed.

The print-type unit 19 is placed manually or mechanically, for example, by means of a transport device 16, shown in FIG. 3, between the opened press plates 14, 15 of a printing press. The press plates 14, 15 are heated, and can be moved individually or jointly toward each other. In addition, they may be provided with a cushioning means shown in 18 FIG. 4. The method according to the invention an be carried out as follows, using such printing presses:

The print-type unit 19, which is placed between the opened press plates 14, 15 is heated during the first phase by pressing the heated press plates 14, 15 upon each other. Here, the inherent moisture of the textile piece 10 is vaporized due to the high temperature of the pressing plates 14, 15. Since the pressure foils 11, 12 do not allow any steam to pass through them and since press plates 14, 15 are completely or partially unpadded and pressed upon each other, the steam cannot escape. In other words, the steam is held between pressure foils 11, 12. This also applies to steam, gases, or the like which might possibly be generated during the heating of the dyetutf coating of pressure foils 11, 12.

During the second phase, the press plates 14, 15 are again moved apart from each other, in other words, they are moved at a distance away from each other. As a result, the steam, which is trapped between pressure foils 11, 12, can now escape along the marginal zones 20 of pressure foils 11, 12 which now rest upon each other without any pressure thereon. The trapped steam, gases, or the like are thus evacuated.

During the third phase, the heated press plates 14, 15 are again pressed upon each other. This means that the print-type unit 19, which is already heated in the first phase, is further heated. This introduces a sublimation of the dyes which are on pressure foils 11, 12, as a result of which these dyes are transferred to the textile piece 10. The pressure sublimation process can be launched during the first phase.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for printing textiles made at least partly of synthetic fibers comprising:

(a) placing the textile between gas impermeable foils coated with sublimable dye, said foils being assembled to form vented packets, and placing the foil and textile between heated pressing means,

(b) heating and pressing the packets to vaporize the moisture therein,

() removing the pressure to evacuate the steam vapor formed in step (a) through the packet vents, and

(d) heating and pressing the packets again to print on the textiles by sublimation of the dye due to the applied heat and pressure.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the sublimation printing process is initiated during the first heating and pressing step recited in sub-paragraph (b) and completed during the second heating and pressing step recited in sub-paragraph (d) References Cited Datye, Textilveredlung, 4, 1969, No. 7, pp. 562-572. Ciba Revue, No. 3, pp. 56-58, 1970.

DONALD LEVY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 8'149.2; 101-470 

